Alastor Mablin (loveanddarkness) wrote in lightning_war, @ 2008-09-26 17:13:00 |
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Current mood: | pissed off |
Late Tuesday afternoon, 15 September 1942, at Malfoy Manor in Tintagel...
Alastor Moody had spent most of the day with Lucius Malfoy, but when he saw his sister Jenny heading down for tea, he caught her and pulled her aside, because he had been meaning to have words with her all day. “What were you thinking this morning at breakfast? That was rude!”
Jenny looked up at her brother in absolute disbelief, though she was beginning to wonder why she was so surprised. Alastor always took Mulciber’s side of things and Fran had warned her about it. Now she didn’t know what she was going to tell Fran. She almost hoped they wouldn’t have to go back to school, so she wouldn’t have to face her. “What are you talking about, Alastor? I can’t believe Keresek did that to Johnny. It’s disgusting!”
Alastor snorted. “He’s lucky he’s not dead, if he was poking around where he didn’t belong, but that’s not what I’m talking about and you know it. What is your problem with Lucius?”
“He’s entirely full of himself,” said Jenny. “He’s worse than Theo and you just encourage him! I know he’s the prince, but he’s still just a boy! What is your problem with Johnny and Fran? Aunt Dracaena doesn’t even care what happened to Johnny, and he’s Old Mrs Toms’ grandson, it’s not like he’s not one of ours.”
Alastor shook his head in disbelief. “You were there for the Howler. What do you think? If Fran didn’t snitch on me, she was sure happy to see that someone had.”
“Lucius and Trashwood think Dalton did it,” said Jenny, who very much did not want to believe this herself; on the other hand, she didn’t want to believe that Fran had done it, either, and Fran was her cousin.
“So do I. And it’s Dashwood. Who happens to be our cousin by adoption, and you’re lucky Auntie Dracaena isn’t here to hear you. Are you trying to offend the whole household?” Alastor glared at her. “Because from what I’ve heard, you’re doing a good job of it.”
Jenny crossed her arms across her chest. “I want to know what happened to everyone. Auntie used to be someone I admired, but she doesn’t care what Keresek did to Johnny, and Dalton was a brat, but she let Isabella and Lucius be awful to him and now she’s surprised he’s not loyal? Where is our mother? Where is our dad? Our dad is almost an outlaw. She told our grandfather not to speak to her again, she’s turned our whole family out of the house, which has now been destroyed by demons, she’s getting another vicar, and maybe Lucius’ other mother tried to break our parents up but she succeeded!”
“Johnny threatened her people on her lands. After everything that’s happened, what do you expect? Our parents left. Nobody threw them out. Mum didn’t even write to me after I got that Howler.” Alastor was surprised at how bitter he still was about that last. “And she wasn’t exactly protesting when Lucius’—when Gabrielle was running after her. You’d know that if you’d been paying attention. I’m not sure who started things with Dalton, but that’s no reason for you to act like him.”
“I don’t,” said Jenny. “But I liked him and I miss him and if he did this to you, then I’m angry but…”
“Are you? You almost sound like Fran when you talk about me and Dylan. Or Dad,” Alastor said scornfully.
“I don’t disapprove of you being in Greek Love,” said Jenny, “but why are all your friends so mean?”
Alastor was puzzled. “They’re not.” He’d had friends who might fit that description, but they were people like Myrtle and Crockford, who definitely fell into the category of former friends. “Why do you think they are?”
“Dashwood and his little brother are positively horrid,” said Jenny, “and there are stories about Dylan, too.”
Alastor shrugged. “Dashwood gives as good as he gets. If he did anything to you, you brought it on yourself. Dylan’s the same way. But you’re the first person I’ve ever heard say anything against Jonathan.”
“Jonathan Dashwood is awful, and he’s been making fun of us since we were on the train,” said Jenny, her eyes wide with disbelief. “He likes that awful Mercuria Casaubon, and they’ve turned Fiammetta against us, and they run around with our cousin Camille DeVries.”
“Is there anyone you don’t think is awful?” Alastor asked, honestly puzzled. How was it possible for one person to make so many enemies so quickly? “Not counting Dalton.”
“Liane isn’t awful,” said Jenny quickly. “Although like you, she has a lot of awful friends—Isabella Zabini and Tr—Dashwood. Neither is Charis or Moruith.”
“Well, then not all my friends are awful,” Alastor said pointedly.
“Are you friends with them?” Jenny asked, looking up at him sidewise. “Because Charis hates Dashwood, you know.”
“Yes,” Alastor said, irritated. “Not all your friends have to be friends with each other, and you don’t have to hate someone just because your friends do.” He’d had words with Charis on that subject, actually, but Jenny didn’t need to know that. She was confused—and confusing—enough already.
“Tell that to Fiammetta Kyteler.” Jenny sighed.
“I don’t want to know,” Alastor said wearily. It didn’t seem that long since he’d been trying to help Jenny sneak letters to Fiammetta. “I won’t ask you to make up with anyone,” though he thought it would be a good idea if she did, “but can you at least try to be a little more polite?”
“I think I am polite,” said Jenny, frowning.
“Saying you think Lucius is full of himself right in front of everyone is not polite,” Alastor said. “We were just having fun.”
Jenny shrugged. “But it’s perfectly polite for him and Dashwood to mock the way we speak?”
Alastor blinked. “I hadn’t noticed that they do.”
“You’re never around when it happens,” said Jenny.
“Well, next time let me know. Nobody picks on my little sister and gets away with it, you know that.” Alastor grinned. “Just stop trying to get even on your own.” He was more than half convinced she was bringing it on herself, but he didn’t think putting it that way would do any good.
“They always make fun of the things I say. Would you really do anything to Jon Dashwood? Endymion won’t let anyone near him you know,” said Jenny sceptically.
“It depends on what they did,” Alastor said. He had no intention of getting on Dashwood’s bad side just because Jenny said something silly. “Just what sort of things do you say, anyway?”
“Never mind,” said Jenny, convinced that her brother’s promise was worth less than the air that it had been spoken in. “I’m going to look for Dory and Silvia now.”
“All right,” Alastor said, baffled. Girls were strange. “Have fun.”
gentian and guywiththeeye